Birds Of A Feather
by Mako-chan Wolf
Summary: [My first attempt at a fanfic] Will NYC be able to stand up to the addition of another homicide detective and rookie? I'm back! And, look, two new chapters!
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: Neither Witchblade nor the related characters are mine. Although I don't like to acknowledge it, they're property of a bunch of people I've lost all respect for: Top Cow, TNT… You know the drill. I have to say that for fear of getting sued.

By the way, those characters you don't recognize… They're mine. Please don't filch my ideas (though I don't really know why you'd want to).  
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Chapter one  
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Sara Pezzini walked into her apartment and chucked her keys in the general direction of her kitchen table. She just didn't care right now; she had too much weighing on her mind. The only thing running through her head at the moment was her need for sleep. She was so tired and unfocused, she never noticed the note on her kitchen counter.  
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Andie O'Rourke was doing almost the same thing as Sara at the same time. She didn't care what happened, she only wanted a long, hot shower and a few hours of sleep. Her day had been long and tiring, to be vague about it. She started her day off by wolfing down a semi-cold breakfast, tearing apart her apartment looking for her sneakers, and then got stuck in traffic on her way to work. When Andie finally got there, her best friend announced that she was leaving for Georgia. All day, she had been thinking 'Why me?'  
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About ten minutes later, Sara was staring at her ceiling, caught in that awkward stage between asleep and awake. She wasn't sure if it was a blessing or a curse – she knew that if sleep managed to overtake her, the Witchblade would override anything remotely pleasant. 'Damn this piece of bewitched metal on my wrist! Oh, no. Please tell me that I am not starting to sound like Nottingham. ...That did sound like something I'd hear him say, didn't it?' Before she could continue the thought, her body finally gave up the battle of being awake and alert and she fell into a restless sleep.  
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'I need a new job, or at least a transfer. Being a homicide detective around here isn't all it's cracked up to be…' Andie thought as she reflected on her day. There was that bad morning, yet another confrontation with her boss, her best friend leaving for Georgia, the requisite load of paperwork, and, to top it all off, there was that annoying Matthew kid who just couldn't take a hint. Being brutally honest with the rookie could do one of two things-- either create ten thousand more problems, or solve the current one. It was a risk that any semi-sane cop would be unwilling to take. But, then again, Andie O'Rourke was not semi-sane; she was absolutely sure that she was losing it.  
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After Sara woke up, she wandered zombie-like out to her kitchen and rummaged for a cup of coffee and something to eat, missing the note for the second time. She let her thoughts drift, and really didn't care. If she was being mentally tapped, the person doing so would have received a large amount of static with the occasional question. 'What just made me think that? Oh, I need somebody to let me vent, understand and not really care that I'm probably insane. Somebody other than stalker boy and his master, preferably. I have problems. I'll admit that. I have a bracelet that not only changes shape, it gives me visions at the most inopportune times. I'm a homicide detective who's constantly being followed by an assassin. Anything else that I might have missed?' she mentally asked the Witchblade.  
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Updated A/N (3-20-07): Hey, look, I came back and cleaned this up… Now it's not so hard on the eyes. And even though this has been up since some time in 2003… That doesn't change the fact I still live for feedback. I need advice, people. Please review?


	2. Monday morning

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 2  
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Andie walked into the precinct thinking about the idea that had come to her in the middle   
of the night last night. She knew that she could transfer anywhere in the state without a problem,   
but anywhere more than an hour away would just mean trouble.   
'Anywhere but here. I seriously have to get away from Henry; the man is hell-bent on   
annoying me, and it doesn't help that he's my boss. And that rookie, Matthew, is following me   
around like a schoolboy with a crush... On to what has to be listed. What do I need to start off well   
at my new precinct? Hmmm... this will require more than minimal thought... I need a new   
apartment, obviously, since I'm not staying in Buffalo any more, the Ninja needs a bit of mech   
work...' her thoughts drifted to her green and silver Kawasaki Ninja, which was setting in the   
parking lot at the moment. She subconciously jingled her keychain. 'I need some new clothes...   
Can't be meeting the new captain wearing this nearly-trashed junk...'   
She stopped and looked down at what she was wearing. Her sneakers were beaten   
horribly, and her jeans had a rip in the right knee and were worn rather thin across that side. ' Too   
many skids. I have to stop doing that. Sure, it's fun, but it ruins my clothes! ' She thought of how   
many times she had sent her Ninja into a skid just for the heck of it. It never seemed to take any   
beating, just her. She looked at the shirt she was wearing -- that was fine. And she remembered   
that her jacket was still new, so that was one less thing to worry about. ' Now, on to see the boss. '  
....................................................................................................  
  
Sara woke up from a rare thing -- a night without Witchblade-induced dreams. But, that   
didn't make Monday morning any less Monday-ish. The alarm's buzzing was not very welcoming,   
and she hit the Snooze button with more force than necessary. The alarm faded to a low buzz,   
then stopped completely. She groaned and rolled over, putting her pillow over her head to ward   
off the sounds of New York early-morning rush hour traffic. So far, it wasn't working. Then she   
realized that Dante would have her head if she was late again. ' So much for sleeping in... ' she   
thought as she got out of bed and into the shower. She rushed through her morning routine. She   
finally noticed the note on her counter and stuffed it in her jacket pocket as she ran out the door.   
She had barely managed to get to work on time.   
Then there was Jake. The California surfer-turned-NYPD cop had to be the most   
annoying person to see on a Monday morning, well, except Bruno Dante. But, apparently, there   
was no rest for the weary. She pulled the note out of her pocket as she hung her jacket on the   
back of her desk chair. As she unfolded it, she recognized the handwriting. ' Oh, God. What little   
surprise has Nottingham left for me now? ' she mentally asked herself. After reading the note, she   
sighed heavily, folded it up, and placed it back into her pocket. Apparently Irons wanted her to   
attend a "dinner meeting on Wednesday as he had put it. 'Probably another stupid thing about   
visions. There are days when I wish he would tell me something I didn't know... '  
..................................................................................................  
  
Andie knocked onthe door cautiously. She really didn't like Henry when he was angry.   
And on Mondays, he was always more testy than usual.   
"Come in," Henry grunted.  
She walked in to see him with his nose buried in a case file. She decided that she didn't   
want to know if it was one of hers... Because, if it was, he would find something wrong with it just   
to see her get riled up. He had some kind of a grudge against her, but she didn't know what for.   
"Uh, sir? I was wondering... Could I be permanently transferred?"  
"To where?"  
"Doesn't matter to me, as long as I'm not leaving New York state. I figured you might   
want to choose anyway."  
"You put any thought into this? When do you want to leave by?" he asked, taking out a   
sheet of paper to jot things down on.  
"Yes, I did think about it," ' If I hadn't, I wouldn't be here!' she quipped mentally before   
continuing. "I suppose I'd like to leave by Wednesday."  
"Wednesday, huh? I think we can do that. Got any other preferences beyond staying in   
the state and leaving by Wednesday?"  
"Not really."  
"Okay. Got it. I'll take care of it from here," he finished, waving his hand to dismiss her.  
.......................................................................................................  
  
Author's Note: If you want to see more of this, please review! And thank you, Fae Rain! Thank you Eli!   
You took notice! And, coming soon, mayhem! Madness! And more trouble than two homicide cops are   
worth! 


	3. When's Lunch?

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Chapter 3  
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Sara thought about the note. It was Monday, and the dinner "meeting" was on   
Wednesday. She was in a particularly vengeful mood toward Irons, especially after John's death.   
It meant that she had two days to figure out a plan to gain revenge against Irons... 'A simple   
spook? No, too childish. And he'd never fall for it, anyway. Threaten his life? No, he's a billionaire   
with a lot of enemies... He's probably used to it. Oh, forget this. I need inspiration... Maybe I'll just   
ask Jake. He's usually full of ideas for practical jokes, except he's too scared to use them.'  
She gave up on the master plan for a few minutes to return to what she had been doing --   
paperwork...  
..............................................................................................................  
Andie handed a large stack of paper and a case file to Matthew.  
"What's this for? Why are you giving me all of the case research?" he asked.  
"Because I'm transferring soon, by Wednesday actually, and I figured that you'd wind up   
taking the case after I leave. You might want to familiarize with what we ahve so far. You might   
need to ask me some questions while I'm still here. You don't want to start over from the   
beginning, do you? Especially since we uncovered a good lead from that one witness..."  
"Need any help cleaning out your desk?" Matt offered hopefully.  
"Nice try, rookie. Start reading."  
'How does she always see right through me whenever I try that?' he thought. Then he   
followed orders and started reading the case file.  
While he organized the disheveled pile of paper she had thrown on his desk, she   
rummaged through the top drawer of her own desk. She pulled out a bunch of paper, which she   
tossed in the trash, a PDA, a camera, a stack of notecards, a paperback book, and an odd   
assortment of pens and pencils. 'Hey, I was looking for that camera...' she thought. Anything she   
decided to keep went on top of her desk while everything she wanted to toss was promptly   
thrown into the wastebasket. One wadded up ball of paper made a perfect shot.   
"Three points!" Matt cheered.  
"Thanks for the support, but don't you have something better to do than sit around and   
watch what I'm doing?" Andie asked.  
"Yeah. Stare at the clock and wait for noon. I'm starved! And there's still a half-hour to   
wait before lunch break!!"  
"I know. I wish I could fast-forward and reverse time whenever I wanted... That'd be   
great, wouldn't it?"  
"Yeah. I'm just waiting for some self-appointed genius to invent a time machine... They've   
done just about everything else."  
"I better get back to work on this desk. How did I ever find anything in this mess?"  
"I don't know. Why are you asking me?"  
"Because you share an office with me and you're also the only other person around to   
ask."  
"Oh."  
..............................................................................................................  
Sara put down the pen she had been writing with. She had finished the paperwork, so   
she got up and filed it. Then she looked up at the clock and sighed.There was still half-an-hour   
until lunch! 'I still have half-an-hour to wait? Not fair! Oh, well. Is my CD player still in here?' She   
started rummaging through her desk.  
"What're you doing?" Jake asked.  
"Looking for something."  
"Obviously. What are you looking for?"  
"Why do you want to know?"  
"Jeez! I'm just asking a question! What's wrong with you today?"  
"I haven't had enough coffee and I didn't eat breakfast."  
"That explains it. Why didn't you eat breakfast? Cereal, bowl, milk, spoon, eat. That   
easy."   
(Mako-chan Wolf's blabbering: yes, I know that was one of Sara's lines, but it applied to what they   
were saying... the characters are taking over!! Well, at least it's not my muses...)  
"Shut up, rookie."  
..............................................................................................................  
Andie was on the last drawer. In there, she uncovered her CD case (which had been long   
forgotten), a binder, a notebook,and a flashlight. Then she picked up her bookbag from the floor   
and proceeded to stuff anything she wanted to keep into it. By the time she was done, her   
bookbag was too full, her desk was very empty, and the wastebasket had a pile of discarded   
paper surrounding it.  
"Why do you always have a bookbag?" Matt asked.  
"How else am I supposed to carry stuff on a motorcycle?"  
"Sell the bike and buy a car, then."  
"Sell my Ninja? Have you lost it? Have you gone insane from too much paperwork?   
Telling me to sell my bike is like telling Toby Keith to sell his guitar!"  
"Uh... I think I'll back off and shut up now..."  
"Smartest thing you've said all day... I think by now you know that it doesn't pay to get me   
angry, then be the only other person in the room." She looked up at the clock. "Four more   
minutes."  
Matt looked up at the clock, too. Three more minutes of torture before they were set   
free... 'I'm hungry...' he thought. As if to punctuate his sentence, his stomach rumbled.  
"So you're hungry too?" Andie asked, gaze never wavering from the clock.  
"Yeah. I wish time went faster..."  
"Never wish away your life." she quipped.  
"But you said the same--" Andie glared at him. "Never mind..." he finished.  
"Ten... Nine... Eight... Seven... Six... Five... Four... Three... Two... One... FREEDOM!"   
Andie cried, tossing yet another ball of paper at the wastebasket as she ran out of the office. She   
stopped, turned around, walked back into the office, picked up her helmet and her jacket, and   
walked back out again, as if nothing had ever happened when noon came.  
...............................................................................................................  
  
Short, I know. But it's probably still longer than chapter one! If you want more, review. If I don't get   
off this computer soon to feed my muse, she'll wind up clawing me to pieces... Before you ask,   
my muses include a German Shepherd named Dinah, a Guinea Pig named Daisy, and a normal   
human being, whose name I shall not mention for security reasons... Oh, forget that! Her name is   
Mia... And, thanks to Eli for the reassurance!! :) 


	4. Break room 1

A/N: Hey, this is an idea I got from Cosmic Angel. On her site, AnimeMixFanFics, she does   
scripts, and it's funny. If it's anime, you can probably find at least one character there. I love "Blue   
Bandana." (just so you know, her titles have nothing to do with what's contained in the chapters.   
the URL for the site is ) So I'm using a script format and it's pure   
pointlessness, has no value to the story, and you can skip it if you want to. But I don't have   
chapter four up yet, so you can't quite skip it. This is meant to be when my cast is on a break. I   
appear, and so do my muses, Amelia and Kami-Chan. In future break room files, I might put in   
other authors, with their permission, of course...   
And... INTRODUCING JENN!! Oh, and her boyfriend Chris. (Jenn is my sister.)  
And, IrishRavenX, how did you know I love cars? (I like trucks better though... Especially Dodge...   
Okay, 'nuff rambling. ) I never told you! Can you read minds? ~.^  
Eli, that talk-show plan, that's going to be a little delayed because my muses have come up short   
on ideas. ::turns around to look at muses:: Hey muses, start musing and stop eating chocolate!   
Unless it makes you muse faster... But no more chocolate!   
  
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Break Room Files Number One  
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Sara - ::Walks in with a cup of coffee::  
Andie - Forgetting somebody?  
Matt - For those of you people out there who don't know, Sara tends to have a one-track mind in   
the morning, and it's usually set on food or coffee. And, Andie, *I* didn't forget you!  
Andie - Thank you. ::takes cup of coffee from Matt::  
Jake - Where am I in this? I haven't shown up yet?  
Mako-chan Wolf - Go away rookie. We don't need *you* here.  
Kami-Chan - Hi people! Whatcha doing?  
Amelia - They're giving me a headache.  
Ian - Not guilty. This is the first time I've spoken since we were given break time.  
Amelia - You don't talk much, do you?  
Ian - ::shakes head no::  
Kami-Chan - Obviously not.  
Amelia - That was an insult to my intelligence!  
Mako-Chan Wolf - Oh shut up. She wasn't insulting you. She was stating the obvious. Note she   
used the word "obvious" in the sentence. So there. I'm the all-powerful writer!! I give you people   
life, speech, and all other miscellaneous traits, features, and functions! You can't go against me!!  
Jake - RETALLIATE!!  
Everyone else - ::looks at Jake strangely::  
Andie - Psycho! ::hits Jake with a book::  
Sara - Get out of my office.  
Jake - You mean *our* office.  
Sara - My office. You are no longer welcome here. Now get!  
Jake - Moo.  
Matt - Is he okay? I mean, in the head?  
Andie - No. He's not. Why did you even bother to ask? It's obvious.  
Mako-chan Wolf - Another one who states the obvious. :: sighs heavily::  
Ian - No. Can I kill him yet, Sara?  
Sara - No.  
Amelia - w00t! Get rid of the dumb blonde! I say kill him!  
Random person on the camera crew (who has blonde hair) - What was *that* supposed to mean?  
Mako-chan Wolf - Nothing. We meant the idiot over here. ::points to Jake:: Not you. Okay?   
Nobody meant anything by that comment. At least not anything directed at you. It was all at him. I   
refuse to speak *his* name. It should be considered a Federal Offense to say his name!  
Jenn - ::walks in with Chris:: What's that mean?  
Chris - Do you mean my name?  
Jenn - ::prepares to attack:: You wouldn't DARE do that to Chris in front of me! Remember what   
happened to that last guy who insulted Chris?  
Mako-Chan Wolf - ::gulp:: I remember very well... About all I can remember is CRACK!! THUD!!   
And it was you slapping him and his head hitting the window... ::gulps again::   
Chris - You did that for *me*? Little old me?  
Jenn - You're not old. You're one year older than me!! And, for you to be old, that would have to   
mean I'm old. Which I am NOT!! I think. Hey, Mako-chan, how old am I in this Fic?  
Mako-chan Wolf - Ummm... Good question. I don't know. I didn't bother with ages here. Oh, I   
remember now. You're 13 in here. With less than 4 months until you're 14.  
Jenn - Good. And don't act so surprised that I hit that dude. He was bothering me anyway.  
Chris - Cool.  
Ian - Hey, what about us normal characters?  
Jake - You call yourself normal? You're a gothic psycho!  
Jenn - Gothic? I like goth...  
Chris - Hey, forgetting somebody over here?  
Andie - Copycat! That was my line! My FIRST line! Aw, forget it...  
Sara - Ian, now you can kill him. If I don't skewer him on the Witchblade first...  
Matt - You're getting all defensive... Do you have a crush on him?  
Andie - Try the other way around. He's been stalking her for almost a year now...  
Jenn - So what's it like to have a stalker?  
Chris - I'm not a stalker!  
Jenn - I never said you were.  
Chris - Oh... Hey! Unfair! Threat to me!! Not fair!  
Kami-Chan - What's threatening you? Can I blow it up?  
Mako-Chan Wolf - Don't mind her. She's obssessed with explosives.  
Jenn - Obsess isn't a strong enough word.  
Chris - She's got a stalker! And I'm her boyfriend, so he's threatening me.  
Kami-Chan - Oooooh....... Can I blow 'em up?  
Jenn - I don't have a stalker! What gave you people that idea? I asked what it was like to HAVE A   
STALKER!!  
All - Oh.  
Sara - Where is the rookie hiding? :: has evil grin; Witchblade is active; is apparently looking for   
Jake ::  
Andie - Which rookie? There *are* two, you know.  
Matt - You noticed me!  
Andie - You gave me coffee. I have to notice you now.  
Matt - Oh.   
Jake - If you won't go against her ::points to Mako-chan::, why not hurt him? ::points to Matt::  
Amelia - It's not polite to point…  
Jake - Do you think I care?  
Amelia - You should. Didn't your mother ever teach you manners?  
Kami-Chan - Even if she tried, it wouldn't go through his thick skull...  
Mako-chan Wolf - We know that.  
Sara - Are you trying to annoy me? Move so I can kill him!!  
Matt - He wanted to fight me. Can I beat on him first?  
Sara - Fine. Just don't kill him or get blood on the floor.  
Matt - Done deal. ::grabs Jake by the back of the shirt; pulls him outside::  
Andie - I can't miss this! ::opens desk drawer, pulls out video camera, picks up coffee, runs out   
after Matt and Jake ::  
Ian - What's she doing?  
Sara - Taping the fight, probably to torment Jake with it later.  
Kami-Chan - Why?  
Mako-chan Wolf - It's embarrasing to get beaten up in front of everyone.  
Kami-Chan - It's not in front of everyone. We can't see.  
Mako-chan Wolf - I'll fix that! ::opens door, ushers everyone outside to the parking lot :: Now we   
can see.  
Amelia - The only thing missing is popcorn! ::runs inside, comes out two minutes later with   
popcorn:: What did I miss?  
Sara - Nothing really. Matt's still trying to catch Jake. Stupid coward is afraid to fight.  
Jenn - Just like Jimmy.  
Chris - (angrily) Who's "Jimmy" and why don't I know about him?  
Mako-chan Wolf - Remember the wimp she told you about that ran away every time we said   
something about him?  
Jenn - That's Jimmy.  
Chris - Oh.  
Matt - Anybody going to help me catch him?  
Andie - I'll do it!! Amelia, take the camera. Kami-Chan, keep everybody else on the sidelines. I   
don't want anybody getting hurt. Well, except Jake.  
Amelia - Yes mam!  
Kami-Chan - I'll be back! ::runs inside, comes back out wearing police officer costume:: Now I fit   
in with all of the cops around here! And, to keeping everybody on the sidelines, how do I do that if   
they don't even know where the sidelines are? ::pulls out yellow "CAUTION" tape, begins to string   
it up as a marker :: Now, on with the fight! Go Andie!!  
Matt- Hey, I'm going to be doing the fighting!  
Sara - But Andie's the center of attention now. She's the one chasing Jake and dragging him   
back!  
Matt - Yeah? And?  
Ian - You're just standing here. Go help her or something! She's doing this because you asked, if   
I remember correctly.  
Matt - Yeah... Bye! ::takes off after Andie, who has turned the corner chasing Jake down the   
sidewalk. ::  
Andie - I'll get you eventually! And when I do, Matt will make sure you live a life of pain and   
suffering until Ian or Sara decide to kill you! Or, I may just kill you when I catch you!  
  
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A/N -- Every few chapters, I'll have one of these. I think they're funny. If you want me to continue   
this, REVIEW!! Please. If you have any questions, ask them in an e-mail or a review. These will   
be like an ongoing series in their own. For example, in the next one, it will pick up where this one   
left off. Okay? 


	5. just chapter four

A/N: Forgive me, this may be short. I'm trying to write my way out of writer's block... And it's yielding some strange results... Like my teachers on a talk show... Very freaky. And, don't kill me if this chapter is stupid, pointless, or any other word you choose to use. I'm wiped out from chanting, "Let's go Green Team" all day, and stomping at the end of it. And then waving flags and banners. Who came up with field day? I wanna hurt 'em. But it was an excuse to dye my hair wild colors and scream and run around all day instead of sitting in math and doing class work. Oh well. I need sugar and caffeine soon, or I may just drop over at my keyboard! Reviews-- Please? Pretty please with sugar and a cherry on top? And chocolate sprinkles? And whipped cream? And chocolate syrup?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chapter 4 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
' Well, It's Tuesday. One more day to wait... Unless Henry acts out of character and gives me the transfer before the deadline... But I doubt that. I wonder what my new partner will be like... Will they be a girl? I hope so... But, then again, that could be a bad thing; too girly is NOT good! Ah, what am I worrying for? I have to get moving. I don't think being late will help my transfer go along smoothly... Oh, god, I need coffee! ' Andie rolled over and hit the alarm before it had a chance to get out more than one muted buzz. Then there was the need for caffeine. Not healthy, but who in the state of New York had any concern for health? If they did, they wouldn't be living there! (A/N -- personal experience. I was raised in New York) ' Oh, well. Another boring day in the life of Detective Andie O'Rourke begins... ' ............................................................................ ................................. 'Oh, it's six thirty already? What did I do to deserve this? Hmmm... Lemme think about that... Since this piece of metal ended up on my wrist, I've killed more people than I wish to count, I have been annoying Dante more than any semi- (if not fully-) evil captain deserves... (A/N Dante deserves more annoyance, so that will come along with the mayhem in store for Irons...) Oh I give up! This would take way too long, and it would require more than one person. Never mind. I need coffee. Lots of coffee. Stupid alarm!' She slapped the alarm clock so hard, it fell from her nightstand. 'Oh, well. I'll pick that up later. Right now, coffee is on top of my list.' ............................................  
  
"Hey! O'Rourke! When are ya transferring? Your rookie wants to know!" one of the officers called as Andie walked by. "I just told Matt I was transferring on Wednesday. Did he already forget?" She asked, managing to hold her composure until she could tear something to shreds instead of screaming at one of the new desk sergeants. ' Today is not the day... Wait! I won't be here tomorrow! I can annoy them as much as I want! They won't be seeing me again for a really long time...' ............................................................................ .................................. As Sara walked into the precinct, one of the secretaries said something about Dante wanting to see her today... 'Not today. I don't need this... At least not this early...' But, she altered her course to Dante's office. ' Wonder what -wonderful- surprise he has planned now... It had better be something worth my time... Or else.' She knocked on the office door, just above they charcoal-gray and black nameplate. Dante beckoned her in. "What's up, captain? New case?" she asked. "New partner." he stated firmly, as if to say she had no choice in the matter. "You can't train a rookie on your own. I see the way you two get along and you need a peacekeeper. So you and McCarty are getting a new partner. Name's Andrea O'Rourke; she's got about as many years of experience as you. She'll be here by tomorrow. Warn the rookie." "So let me get this straight. You don't think Jake and I get along and that we need somebody to keep us from fighting? And you warn me only one day before?" "That's about the size of it." "Bye." Sara said as she walked out of his office in the direction of her own. ................................  
  
A/N: I am alive, people. Just barely, though. I need to get rid of my writer's block, and if I don't, I may just die! :: Makes dramatic play of falling out of desk chair and climbing back up:: At least I'm not being shoved in a box like IrishRaven. And Eli, to that Matt and Andie question - all in due time, my friend, all in due time. Now back to the planning and (possibly devious) ideas for my next break- room file. Kami-chan wants to eat somebody. Eli wanted to help kill Jake. Maybe I'll use the idea about Ian begging Sara. Well, here's to the addition of my third human-based muse, Beth, or as she'd prefer it, Starlight! We'll just have to add an animal to the end of that. Kami-chan is a wolf, like me (ookami is wolf in Japanese and we didn't like the two o's and chopped 'em off) . Amelia is a hawk. And I s'pose Starlight will be either a wolf or a fox or a dog or something. Up to her. In July, I'll be taking a trip down the shore and I won't be posting for a while. But hopefully I can get down by the water at night and use the emptiness as inspiration and continue my fic there. (Maybe I'll even get to work on my new idea!! If there are any Highlander-Witchblade fans out there, I may ask for help here!! It's a Highlander Witchblade X-Over! My typical ranting and raving said and done, I will leave you peaceful people alone and return to my insanity now. Well, buh-bye!  
  
~ ~ Mako-chan Wolf 


	6. does it need a title?

A/N: I live! No, I didn't die on you people, just took a vacation with the rest of the

annoying family… If you can call that a vacation… Now… Lets see… Oh, yeah! Thanks   
to anyone who reviewed!! And Eli is most certainly allowed to help kill Jake. Kami can  
eat somebody in the next Break-room File… Oh, and thanks to anyone who reviewed my  
new story…

Chapter 5

Andie wondered what had gotten into Matt, since he kept disappearing every ten, maybe  
twenty minutes and coming back about five minutes later. 'Why does he have to start  
being –really- annoying today? Not like it matters, though… I won't be seeing him for a  
while…'  
Matt walked in and dropped a note on her desk.  
"What's this?" she asked.  
"Dunno, but it's from Henry and he said it was important. Something about your  
transfer…"  
"Oh," Andie said as she picked up the note. It was short, only a few words. It said,  
"You're going to NYC. 11th precinct. Working with Det. Sara Pezzini. You're bringing Matt along, too."  
"So, what did it say?" Matt asked as if he had no idea. The grin on his face said  
otherwise.  
"As if you didn't know," Andie said, sounding calm. Then her expression changed as if  
with the flick of a switch. "You little weasel! You're transferring with me!"  
"Yup. What, not happy?" Matt had apparently noticed, as it had come to be called, "the   
look."  
"I'd be happier if I was in a pit of poisonous snakes," she replied shortly.  
"You wanted to get away from me too?"  
"You follow me around like a kid with a crush! It's annoying!"  
"Okay, so I like you. Is that a crime?"  
"But does that mean you're going to follow me everywhere?"  
…………………………………………………………………….  
"Hey, Jake, guess what?" Sara asked.  
"Somebody's birthday?" Jake guessed weakly. "Or it's my lucky day and somebody's  
going to announce I won the lottery, or maybe I'm the winner of some contest I don't  
remember entering?" he asked, paying just a little more attention.  
"Nope. Sorry. Dante went and got us a peacekeeper because he doesn't think we get  
along."  
"If this person brings a rookie, it's gonna be their worst nightmare."  
"Who? Andrea or the possible rookie?"  
"Both. Wait a second… A girl? Hmmm… possibility."  
"Don't even try it. We don't need you scaring her off on her first day. So demonstrate  
some self-control, okay? I don't want anyone thinking I can't train a rookie. Wait, that's  
been blown sky-high already by Dante."  
"Maybe."  
"Why both, though? What did she do and why are you targeting the possible rookie?"  
"She brought the rookie. The rookie would be interfering on my territory."  
"Hold it! "Your Territory?" No way. Remember me? The one in charge? Yeah, sure you  
do. You just don't want to admit it."  
"Okay, you win. You're in charge. But I don't want another rookie."  
………………………………………………………………………….  
Matt and Andie had had a very long talk about being an annoying tagalong, although it  
was mostly one-sided. Andie did all of the talking… Matt just sat there, worrying about  
his life and trying to calculate the medical bill he would have when she found out he was   
not the only rookie that would be there…  
"Got any other little surprises for me? Hmmm?" Andie asked.  
'Uh-oh, I'm dead meat when she hears this… No use in delaying the inevitable,   
though…' Matt thought.

………………………………………………………………………….  
A/N: Haha! I'm leaving you at a cliffhanger! Just wait a while until I update again!!

Wolf


	7. short lil' chapter six

HAHA!! I'm alive again, after hauling myself out of a massive pile of homework! And I'm   
  
updating my stories! ::waves a little flag:: And I started a new Highlander based fic which I am   
  
still working on… I promise to update my stories, and then some teacher goes and assigns a   
  
major project. Like the day I told StarRuby I'd update, I got a social studies project that was   
  
due the next day!  
  
Well, on to the next chapter of Birds Of A Feather!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Six  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I said it before and I'll say it again, we don't need somebody following us around so we don't   
  
argue!" Jake complained for the fifth time.  
  
"I know you said it before, and I'm getting sick of it! I heard you the first four times!" Sara   
  
yelled.  
  
"You don't have to bite my head off!"  
  
"If it's the only way I can get you to shut up, I have to."  
  
Jake got up and started pacing the room. He was acting like a caged animal, and it was really   
  
annoying Sara…  
  
……………………………………………………..  
  
"Okay, Andie, please don't kill me, but there is one more thing." Matt begged.  
  
"What is this "one more thing" that you didn't tell me about before?"  
  
"There's going to be another rookie…" Matt whimpered.  
  
"Another one?? Oh, God this is not my day, and tomorrow is not looking too promising.   
  
Lemme guess, a male, right?"  
  
"Yup. Name's Jake McCarty."  
  
"Jake? He's been in the business as long as I have! He's FBI, not some rookie!"  
  
"Sure, Andie…"  
  
"What, you think I'm crazy or something? You can't blame me though, can you? The way my   
  
life has been going…"  
  
"No, you're not crazy, just Jake is a rookie."  
  
"From California. I know him. I have since high school. He went FBI, I remember it."  
  
"Uh-huh." Matt nodded.  
  
"What, you wanna see the yearbook? Or, better idea, why don't you ask him?"  
  
……………………………………………………….  
  
"Jake, will you quit pacing like that?! Back and forth, back and forth…. Are you trying to drive   
  
me crazy?!"  
  
Jake flopped down in his desk chair and said, "No. Just thinking."  
  
Sara thought about saying 'Didn't know that was possible' but realized that was probably why   
  
Dante was pulling in this other detective to "keep the peace" and settled for asking "What are   
  
you thinking about?"  
  
"The name, you said this transferred detective was named Andrea, right?"  
  
"Yeah…" Sara replied, staring intently at Jake and waiting for him to continue.  
  
"Just that I knew a girl named Andrea in high school. She was a lot like you, come to think of   
  
it…"  
  
"Like me? How?" Sara asked. She narrowed her eyes and waited for the insults.  
  
"Ummm… Made her own rules a lot of the time, short temper, went into the same   
  
profession…"  
  
Sara thought, 'Wow, no insult…' "So this could be the same girl you knew in school?"  
  
"Maybe…" Jake said. He seemed sort of hopeful.  
  
A/N: There, another chapter finished. Sorry about all the talking but it's kinda hard to do an   
  
office scene without it being mostly dialogue. There, new connection for you people to ponder   
  
over. Hope you like it, at least somewhat. Please review. 


	8. Break Room 2

A/N: Damn. I totally forgot about this in all the rush of 'real life.' I come back four years later, and I realize it's time for another Break Room File… Sorry, but because of school, my updates will still be sporadic at best… But I swear, no more four-year breaks between chapters! Beware: my writing style has changed (hopefully it's better) after so long, but I'm still me. Oh, and as a side note: the characters based on real people have changed a bit, too, because the people I've based them on have changed.  
----------

Jake - ::glances back to see Andie gaining on him and Matt rounding the corner:: Oh, shit.

Andie - ::tackles Jake and smashes him into the sidewalk, not caring that multiple passers-by have paused to stare:: Gotcha. ::stands back up, dragging Jake with her::

Matt – Thanks. ::grabs Jake by one arm:: I'll take it from here. ::drags him back toward the parking lot, where Amelia is waiting with the camera::

Amelia - So you caught him, eh?

Matt - Andie did, actually.

Andie - ::brushing the grit and dirt from her jeans as she arrives back at the parking lot:: Was there really any doubt?

Matt: So… On with the show. ::releases Jake and drops into a defensive stance, expecting Jake to swing at him::

Jake - ::backs away slowly::

Sara - Why pick a fight with someone, rookie, if you're not gonna finish it?

Amelia - Come on, don't just run away. Entertain us a bit.

Andie - What'll your FBI buddies say when they see this? And believe me, I'll make sure they will…

Ian - ::glances at Andie, then to Jake:: FBI?

Mako-chan Wolf - ::exasperated:: Andie! Shut up or I'll take away your free will.

Andie - Oops. Just revealed a plot point, didn't I? …You wouldn't be able to just spontaneously forget that, would you?

Ian - Sorry, no.

Andie - Damn.

Kami-chan - ::returning from stringing up caution tape:: What'd I miss?

Amelia - ::looking back to Kami:: Nothing we weren't already aware of, dear. Andie's still blurting out plot points, Mako's threatening to steal our free will, Ian doesn't spontaneously forget things, and Jake's still a coward even though he's FBI. Now, Jake… You ready to do something other than cower, duck and run away yet?

Jake - ::eyeing Matt carefully so he won't get blindsided:: No…

Matt - Is it just me, or is this no fun?

All - This is no fun.

Matt - ::hits Jake on the arm, hoping to push him into fighting:: Do something already…

Amelia - ::shutting the camera off:: Screw it. He's not gonna do anything interesting.

Sara - So, Matt wins the match due to forefeit.

Jake - …Can we just say he won by deafult?

All - No.

Ian - Am I allowed to kill him now?

Mako-chan Wolf - Nope. Might need him later and all…  
----------  
A/N: There you go, another truly pointless breakroom file. And this one is more pointless than usual, considering I've forgotten where I was going with it… I'm pondering trashing the breakroom idea entirely. Whatcha think? Review, would ya?


	9. Ch 7 Lunch Breaks and Yearbooks

A/N: I have returned, and with me I have brought Andie and Matt. Don't know if anyone really much cares, but I feel compelled to continue the story anyway.  
Hey, look, it's an actual chapter this time!  
----------  
Chapter Seven  
----------  
'Lunch time again…' Andie mused, watching the last few seconds before noon tick by. It was an even-numbered day – the tenth – and even-numbered days meant it was Andie's turn to choose where she and Matt went for lunch.

Matt looked up from cleaning out his desk, mumbled something about having errands to run, and told Andie he'd catch up with her in twenty minutes.

"Whatever, Matt. See ya at the Lakeview." Andie called over her shoulder as she walked out the door.

The Lakeview was a little diner located a couple miles from the precinct, out of the city enviornment and back in the woods a bit. It was run by a man named Mike and his wife Gabby. It was Andie's favorite place for lunch, and Gabby was a good friend who was way ahead of the local gossip game and almost always had something interesting to talk about.

Gabby was cleaning a recently-vacated table when she heard the telltale rumble of Andie's Ninja. She glanced at the clock on the wall and noted Andie was right on time, just like always. She also picked up on the fact she didn't hear Matt's car pull into the lot… When the bell above the door jingled and she heard Andie enter the diner, the first words out of her mouth were, "You haven't shown up here alone in ages, Andie. Where's Matt?"

"He said he had errands to run, but he should show up in a little while."

"Ah. Should I just have his usual lunch sent over, then, so it'll be ready when he gets here?"

"Yeah. Don't think he'd mind."

"And, as always, you want a burger. Am I right?"

"You know me too well, Gabby." Andie laughed.

"You make it easy - your choice never really vaires much, does it?" Gabby joked, poking fun at the fact Andie had always been a creature of habit.

"Not often, Gab, but it will tomorrow."

Gabby feigned shock. "Oh, no, change from the routine? Whatever shall we do?" She placed a hand to her forehead and pretended to feel faint. Then, after her little dash of drama, she went back to being her normal self and asked, "So, what, did Matt find somewhere new for lunch?"

"Bigger change. Transferring to New York City."

Gabby's eyes went wide, this time with real shock. "Really? By choice, right?"

"Yeah, I just needed to get out of here."

"You could've just taken an extended vacation…" Gabby muttered. "Taking your rookie, too, I assume?" she asked.

"Yeah," Andie answered, adding "but that wasn't exactly my choice..." under her breath.

"I knew it. He wouldn't have let you leave him behind anyway."

"I'm gonna miss you and your uncanny knack for predicting things." Andie said, thinking back to all the advice Gabby had given her over the past few years. Most of it had been offered before Andie even needed it.

"Just be sure to stop by for a visit every now and then, okay?"

"Are you kidding? You couldn't keep me outta here with an electrified fence, Gab. You guys have the best hamburgers ever."

Gabby just laughed as she went to hand the order that never changed to the cook.

Matt's car puled into the parking lot just as the plates of food were dropped on the table. He walked in and said, "Look at this – lunch is already waiting for me when I arrive. How cool is that?"

"Gabby knows the routine," Andie said without looking up from her food.

"The worst part of transferring, aside from packing everything up for he move, is having to leave so many good restaurants behind," Matt commented, settling into his seat and picking up his sandwitch.

"Yeah, we're gonna miss the Lakeview and Johnny G's…"

"And Martell's, too," Matt added, tacking their favorite bar onto the list.

"Oh, hell. I nearly forgot about Martell's," Andie mumbled.

"Ah, cheer up. NYC is huge - gotta be at least a couple good places to eat… Hey, why'd you decide to transfer, anyway?" he asked, changing the subject.

"I just needed to get out of here. I figured a fresh start in a new city was the best way to go." She took a bite of her hamburger. "So where were you earlier?" she asked him, changing the subject just as he had.

"Told ya, I had some errands to run."

"Fine, don't tell me." She was trying to tweak him into at least giving her a hint.

"All right, if you really have to know, I was giving my cat to my neighbor."

Andie paused with her hand over the pile of french fries on her plate and looked at Matt quizically. "You have a cat? I never thought you were a cat person. Actually, I never had you pegged as the kind of guy who would keep any pets…"

"Correction, had a cat. Duke's living with Mrs. Hunt now. The building I'm moving into has this strict no-pets rule. They don't even like the tenants to keep fish, apparently."

"Harsh, man."

"Yeah…"

"I can't believe this is our last day here…" Andie sighed as she looked out the front window of the diner.

"You have any plans for tonight?" Matt mumbled around a mouthful of his turkey and bacon sandwitch.

"Actually, yeah. I have shopping to do."

"You?" Matt looked surprised. "A girly activity like shopping… I never would have guessed."

"Shut up. My wardrobe's trashed, and I doubt it'd make a good first impression to show up at a new precinct in shredded jeans and a bleach-stained Whitesnake shirt," she commented, pulling a few loose threads from a rip in the jeans she was wearing.

Matt laughed openly. "I didn't think you realized it looked like there was some kind of creature living in your closet and eating your clothes…" he managed to choke out between giggles.

"Aw, come on. It's not that bad. …Is it?" Andie asked, half-standing to get a better look at what she was wearing. The bleach stain on the shirt wasn't really all thjat big, and there were only about eight rips in the jeans…

"It is definitely time for some new clothes. Wish I could tag along on this rare opportunity to see you actually acting like a chick, but I have major packing to do."

"Ha. I'm done packing."

"What? Already?"

"Army brat, remember?"

"Damn. Come help me out with my stuff then."

"After I'm done shopping."

"So it's a date, then?"

"Don't say date. Don't." She pointed at him for emphasis, but more than a little of the effect was lost due to the fact she was still holding her hamburger in that hand.

'Jeez, touchy today, aren't we? I didn't mean it like that…' he thought. All he said was, "Whatever you say, boss."  
----------  
Jake and Sara had gone their separate ways for lunch and met up again in their shared office a little while later. Sara was in a particularly good mood, having gone one entire lunch break without having to talk, cryptic or otherwise, to her ever-present human shadow. Therefore, she immediately perked up when Jake walked in carrying what looked like a high school yearbook.

"Is that what I think it is?" she asked, curious.

He tapped the spine of the green and black hardbound book. It read PTHS in large letters. "It doesn't take much in the way of detective work to figure out it's a high school yearbook, Pez."

"Aw, can it, Rookie, and lemme see your picture."

"'Fraid I can't, Pez, considering I don't have one."

"Whattaya mean, you don't have one?" she demanded impatiently.

"As in, I was absent the day they took the photos and I never made it up."

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not." He flipped to the back of the book and found the 'no photo available' list for the senior class. Sara stared angrily at the page as she noticed 'McCarty, Jacob' near the end of the list.

"Damn." 'Maybe Twitchy here might be able to help me out…?' she pondered as she watched Jake flip through the book. "What are you looking for anyway?"

"Not what, whom. By the way, you really shouldn't end sentences in prepositions."

Sara nearly fell out of her chair, astonished at Jake's display of proper grammar. "Okay, I'll stop ending my sentences in prepositions if you'll tell me why you dragged out your yearbook."

"I'm looking for Andie. I nearly drove myself crazy trying to remember her last name, so I figured I'd dig out the yearbook and try to find her. I wanna be ready if your new partner is the same chick I knew in high school."

"What, planning to impress?" she teased.

"No, wondering if I'll need to seek refuge for a few days…"

"Scared of her?"

"Scared of what you two would do if you didn't get along." He paused for a second. "Dante said the name was O'Rourke, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then I think I'd better start lookin' for a place to hide. This place isn't going to stand up to it if you two clash."  
----------  
A/N: I realize this chapter was probably way more original character-centric than it should have been, but I needed to add to Andie and Matt's characters… So, tell me what you think, huh?  
(P.S. Just in case anyone cares: I've decided to go back and edit my older chapters, considering how poor they really appear. I figure I'll fix the typos and the spacing, and maybe add a little here and there.)


End file.
